1 I|strong="G1473" want|strong="G2309" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G2532" know|strong="G1492" in|strong="G1722" how|strong="G1492" great|strong="G3745" a|strong="G2192" struggle I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1473" engaged for|strong="G1063" you|strong="G5210" and|strong="G2532" for|strong="G1063" Christ’s|strong="G2192" people|strong="G4561" at|strong="G1722" Laodicea|strong="G2993", and|strong="G2532" for|strong="G1063" all|strong="G3745" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2192" not|strong="G3756" yet|strong="G2532" seen|strong="G3708" me|strong="G1473";
2 in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" hope|strong="G2532" that|strong="G2443" they|strong="G2532", being|strong="G2532" bound to|strong="G1519" one|strong="G3956" another|strong="G3588" by|strong="G1722" love, and|strong="G2532" keeping in|strong="G1722" view|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1722" full|strong="G3956" blessedness of|strong="G2316" a|strong="G2532" firm conviction|strong="G4136", may|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" encouraged|strong="G3870" to|strong="G1519" strive for|strong="G1519" a|strong="G2532" perfect knowledge|strong="G1922" of|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316"’s hidden truth,
3 even|strong="G2532" Christ himself, in|strong="G1722" whom|strong="G3739" all|strong="G3956" treasures|strong="G2344" of|strong="G2532" wisdom|strong="G4678" and|strong="G2532" knowledge|strong="G1108" lie hidden.
4 I|strong="G3778" say|strong="G3004" this|strong="G3778" to|strong="G2443" prevent anyone|strong="G3367" from|strong="G1722" deceiving|strong="G3884" you|strong="G5210" by|strong="G1722" plausible arguments|strong="G4086".
5 It|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" true|strong="G3588" that|strong="G3588" I|strong="G2532" am|strong="G1510" not|strong="G1510" with|strong="G4862" you|strong="G5210" in|strong="G1519" person, but|strong="G2532" I|strong="G2532" am|strong="G1510" with|strong="G4862" you|strong="G5210" in|strong="G1519" spirit|strong="G4151", and|strong="G2532" am|strong="G1510" glad|strong="G5463" to|strong="G1519" see the|strong="G2532" good|strong="G3588" order|strong="G5010" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" unbroken front resulting|strong="G1519" from|strong="G2532" your|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1519" Christ|strong="G5547".
6 Since|strong="G5613", therefore|strong="G3767", you|strong="G1722" have|strong="G5547" received|strong="G3880" Jesus|strong="G2424", the|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547", as|strong="G5613" your|strong="G2962" Lord|strong="G2962", live|strong="G4043" your|strong="G2962" lives in|strong="G1722" union with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3588" –
7 rooted|strong="G4492" in|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3588", building|strong="G2026" up|strong="G2026" your|strong="G2532" characters through|strong="G1722" union with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3588", growing|strong="G1722" stronger through|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102", as|strong="G2531" you|strong="G1722" were|strong="G3588" taught|strong="G1321", overflowing|strong="G4052" with|strong="G1722" faith|strong="G4102" and|strong="G2532" thanksgiving|strong="G2169".
8 Take|strong="G2532" care that|strong="G3588" there|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" someone|strong="G5100" who|strong="G3588" will|strong="G1510" carry you|strong="G5210" away by|strong="G1223" his|strong="G1223" “philosophy|strong="G5385"” – a|strong="G2532" hollow sham! – following|strong="G2596", as|strong="G2596" it|strong="G2532" does|strong="G1510", mere|strong="G2596" human traditions|strong="G3862", and|strong="G2532" dealing with|strong="G1223" puerile questions of|strong="G1223" this|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889", and|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3756" with|strong="G1223" Christ|strong="G5547".
9 For|strong="G3754" in|strong="G1722" Christ the|strong="G1722" Godhead|strong="G2320" in|strong="G1722" all|strong="G3956" its|strong="G3956" fulness|strong="G4138" dwells|strong="G2730" incarnate;
10 and|strong="G2532", by|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2532" union with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3588", you|strong="G3739" also|strong="G2532" are|strong="G1510" filled|strong="G4137" with|strong="G1722" it|strong="G2532". He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G1722" head|strong="G2776" of|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3956" archangels and|strong="G2532" powers|strong="G1849" of|strong="G2532" heaven.
11 By|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2532" union with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3588" you|strong="G3739" received a|strong="G2532" circumcision|strong="G4061" that|strong="G3739" was|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3739" performed by|strong="G1722" human|strong="G4561" hands, when|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3739" threw off the|strong="G1722" tyranny of|strong="G2532" the|strong="G1722" earthly|strong="G4561" body|strong="G4983", and|strong="G2532" received the|strong="G1722" circumcision|strong="G4061" of|strong="G2532" the|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547".
12 For|strong="G1223" in|strong="G1722" baptism you|strong="G3739" were|strong="G3588" buried|strong="G4916" with|strong="G1722" Christ; and|strong="G2532" in|strong="G1722" baptism you|strong="G3739" were|strong="G3588" also|strong="G2532" raised|strong="G1453" to|strong="G2532" life with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3588", through|strong="G1223" your|strong="G1223" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" omnipotence of|strong="G1537" God|strong="G2316", who|strong="G3739" raised|strong="G1453" him|strong="G3588" from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G1722" dead|strong="G3498".
13 And|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210", who|strong="G3588" once were|strong="G1510" dead|strong="G3498", by|strong="G1722" reason of|strong="G2532" your|strong="G2532" sins|strong="G3900" and|strong="G2532" your|strong="G2532" uncircumcised nature – to|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" God|strong="G2532" gave|strong="G2532" life|strong="G4561" in|strong="G1722" giving life|strong="G4561" to|strong="G2532" Christ! He|strong="G2532" pardoned all|strong="G3956" our|strong="G2532" sins|strong="G3900"!
14 He|strong="G2532" canceled|strong="G1813" the|strong="G2532" bond|strong="G2532" which|strong="G3739" stood|strong="G3588" against|strong="G2596" us|strong="G2249" – the|strong="G2532" bond|strong="G2532" that|strong="G3739" consisted of|strong="G1537" ordinances|strong="G1378" – and|strong="G2532" which|strong="G3739" was|strong="G1510" directly hostile|strong="G5227" to|strong="G2532" us|strong="G2249"! He|strong="G2532" has|strong="G3739" taken it|strong="G2532" out|strong="G1537" of|strong="G1537" our|strong="G2532" way|strong="G2596" by|strong="G1537" nailing|strong="G4338" it|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" cross|strong="G4716"!
15 He|strong="G2532" rid himself|strong="G1438" of|strong="G2532" all|strong="G2532" the|strong="G1722" powers|strong="G1849" of|strong="G2532" evil|strong="G2532", and|strong="G2532" held them|strong="G3588" up|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" open contempt, when|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" celebrated his|strong="G1438" triumph|strong="G2358" over|strong="G1849" them|strong="G3588" on|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" cross!
16 Do|strong="G2919" not|strong="G3361", then|strong="G3767", allow anyone|strong="G5100" to|strong="G1722" take you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G1722" task on|strong="G1722" questions of|strong="G5100" eating|strong="G1035" or|strong="G2228" drinking|strong="G4213", or|strong="G2228" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" matter|strong="G5100" of|strong="G5100" annual or|strong="G2228" monthly or|strong="G2228" weekly festivals.
17 These|strong="G3739" things|strong="G3588" are|strong="G1510" only|strong="G4639" the|strong="G1161" shadow|strong="G4639" of|strong="G4983" what|strong="G3739" is|strong="G1510" to|strong="G3195" come|strong="G3195"; the|strong="G1161" substance|strong="G4983" is|strong="G1510" in|strong="G1161" the|strong="G1161" Christ|strong="G5547".
18 Do|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3367" let|strong="G2532" anyone|strong="G3367" defraud you|strong="G5210" of|strong="G5259" the|strong="G1722" reality by|strong="G1722" affecting delight in|strong="G1722" so-called “humility|strong="G5012"” and|strong="G2532" angel-worship. Such|strong="G3588" a|strong="G2532" person|strong="G3739" busies themselves|strong="G1722" with|strong="G1722" their|strong="G2532" visions, and|strong="G2532" without|strong="G3367" reason are|strong="G3588" rendered conceited by|strong="G1722" their|strong="G2532" merely human|strong="G4561" intellect.
19 They|strong="G2532" fail|strong="G3756" to|strong="G2532" maintain union with|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2532" head|strong="G2776", to|strong="G2532" whom|strong="G3739" it|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3588" due that|strong="G3739" the|strong="G2532" whole|strong="G3956" body|strong="G4983", nourished and|strong="G2532" knit|strong="G4822" together|strong="G4822" by|strong="G1223" the|strong="G2532" contact and|strong="G2532" connexion of|strong="G1537" every|strong="G3956" part|strong="G2532", grows with|strong="G1537" a|strong="G2532" divine growth.
20 Since|strong="G5613", with|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547", you|strong="G1487" became|strong="G3588" dead to|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" puerile teaching of|strong="G1722" this|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889", why|strong="G5101" do|strong="G5101" you|strong="G1487" submit|strong="G1379", as|strong="G5613" if|strong="G1487" you|strong="G1487" still belonged to|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" world|strong="G2889",
21 to|strong="G3361" such ordinances as|strong="G3361" “Do|strong="G3361" not|strong="G3361" handle|strong="G2345", or|strong="G3366" taste|strong="G1089", or|strong="G3366" touch|strong="G2345"”?
22 For|strong="G1519" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G2532" things|strong="G3956" referred to|strong="G1519" in|strong="G1519" them|strong="G3588" cease to|strong="G1519" exist|strong="G1510" when|strong="G2532" used. You|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" following|strong="G2596" mere|strong="G2596" human directions and|strong="G2532" instructions.
23 Such|strong="G5100" prohibitions appear|strong="G1510" reasonable|strong="G3056" where|strong="G1722" there|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" a|strong="G2192" desire for|strong="G4314" self-imposed service, and|strong="G2532" so-called “humility|strong="G5012",” and|strong="G2532" harsh treatment of|strong="G3056" the|strong="G1722" body|strong="G4983", but|strong="G2532" are|strong="G1510" of|strong="G3056" no|strong="G3756" real value|strong="G5092" against|strong="G4314" the|strong="G1722" indulgence|strong="G4140" of|strong="G3056" our|strong="G2532" earthly|strong="G4561" nature.